A Guide for Classroom Teachers - Education

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14 14 The provincial reference sets for reading and writing can also help teachers identify student performance difficulties that may be attributable to the fact that English is a student’s second language or that the student uses a dialect of English that differs significantly from the standard English used in the broader Canadian society and in school. These reference sets are: • Evaluating Reading Across Megan Megan Curriculum (RB 0034) Megan Megan is is a a happy happy six-year-old six-year-old who who lives lives lives in in the the apartments apartments • Evaluating Writing Across Curriculum (RB 0020 & RB 0021) near near the the the school. school. She She is is a a First First Nations Nations student student whose whose family family has has has lived lived off off the the reservation reservation for for many many generations. generations. Teachers who suspect, on the basis of a At At school, school, she she she plays plays well well with with the the the other other children children and and student’s performance difficulties, that enjoysenjoys centres; centres; she she is, is, however, however, very very reluctant reluctant to to participartici- he or she requires ESL support may be pate pate in in any any verbal verbal activities activities in in class. class. class. Recently, Recently, Recently, she she able to confirm this by obtaining further experienced experienced great great frustration frustration when when when attempting attempting attempting to to tell tell her her information from parents, from guard- teacher teacher that that she’d she’d received received a a walkman walkman walkman for for Christmas. Christmas. She She ians, or, indeed, from the student about: also also appears appears appears to to be be having having difficulty difficulty with with beginning beginning beginning • the student’s educational reading reading and and writing writing tasks tasks and and has has lately lately lately begun begun acting acting up up background in in class. class. • the cultural community of which the family is a part At At the the request request request of of her her teacher, teacher, Megan’s Megan’s Megan’s language language language skills skills have have been been tested, tested, tested, and and it it it has has emerged emerged that that that her her her command command • the extent to which the home ofof oral oral English English is is is comparable comparable to to that that of of most most four-yearfour-year- language(s) and English are sup- olds. olds. Follow-up Follow-up Follow-up discussions discussions discussions with with Megan’s Megan’s Megan’s parents parents have have have ported by the family enabled enabled teachers teachers to to determine determine determine that that the the oral oral oral language language • the expectations of the student and used used at at home home home is is different different different from from the the oral oral oral language language Megan Megan is is the family regarding the school expected expected to to use use at at school. school. Megan Megan is is consequently consequently feeling feeling system and its culture (e.g., home- overwhelmed overwhelmed at at school school and and has has begun begun begun to to believe believe she she work, disciplinary measures, core subjects, field trips). cannot cannot learn learn learn to to read read or or write. write. If it seems that the student should be formally designated as needing ESL services, an ESL specialist should ideally be consulted to confirm this and conduct a formal needs assessment. Formal Assessment and Placement Any assessment used as a basis for making placement or planning decisions for ESL students should be carried out under the direction or with the assistance of trained ESL specialists. The process for conducting the initial assessment of language proficiency should involve the use of informal techniques and criterion-referenced instruments (e.g., oral interviews, writing samples) rather than standardized tests. Results obtained using commercially ESL ESL Learners: Learners: A A Guide Guide for for Classroom Classroom Teachers Teachers
produced standardized tests may be misleading since these are seldom designed to specifically assess ESL students, and tend to be written for, and normed on, Englishspeaking populations. The assessment instruments used will typically take account of all language modes. They will likely present the student with tasks that integrate these Thi Thi Hoang Hoang skill areas and include at least some pragmatic assessment (how well the Thi Thi Hoang Hoang Hoang is is a a sixteen-year-old sixteen-year-old student student who who lived lived in in rural rural student can do something with the southern southern Vietnam Vietnam prior prior to to coming coming to to Canada. Canada. She She and and her her language that is presented). family family were were sponsored sponsored sponsored by by an an elder elder brother, brother, whom whom she she has has Provincial policy stipulates that a record of each student’s initial assessment should be recorded. The assessment information included in the record should relate to the placement decisions that are made. The record should also identify the amount and type of ESL support service needed (e.g., pullout, inclass). The initial assessment should subsequently be reviewed on a regular basis (at least once a year), and placement and programming adjustments made as necessary. Time constraints often limit the amount of data that can be obtained during an initial assessment. It is also not unusual for a student from another area or country, particularly if there are cultural differences, to “freeze” when faced with an initial formal assessment in English. Initial assessment results should consequently not be viewed as comprehensive or definitive. With support, ESL students who have a developing grasp of English fare best if given an opportunity, for most purposes, to participate with appropriate support in mainstreamed classes with non-ESL peers. Given appropriate instructional practice (see “Classroom Planning with ESL in Mind”), their needs can be met without detriment to other students. Subsequent assessments may suggest alternate placements, but generally speaking, research suggests that holding students back until they have better mastery of language is seldom appropriate. 4 4 Collier, Virginia. “How long: A synthesis of research on academic achievement in a second language.” TESOL Quarterly, 23, 1989, 509-531. not not seen seen for for nine nine years. years. While While growing growing up up in in Vietnam, Vietnam, she she she was was unable unable to to attend attend school school regularly. regularly. Although Although her her oral oral skills skills are are strong, strong, she she is is illiterate illiterate in in her her first first language. language. Thi Thi Hoang Hoang wants wants to to attend attend school school and and learn. learn. She She also also realizes realizes that that other other students students her her age age are are now now in in Grade Grade 11, 11, one one one year year away away from from graduation, graduation, and and and she she knows knows knows her her own own time time in in a a public public public school school school is is limited. limited. Her Her desire desire to to learn learn frequently frequently frequently puts puts her her into into into conflict conflict conflict with with other other other family family members members who who see see a a a more more traditional traditional traditional future future role role for for her. her. her. ESL ESL Learners: Learners: A A Guide Guide for for Classroom Classroom Teachers Teachers 15 15
Page 1 and 2: English as a Second Language Learne
Page 3 and 4: Table of Contents Introduction ....
Page 5 and 6: Introduction Students for whom Engl
Page 7 and 8: Adjustment Challenges Facing ESL St
Page 9 and 10: Perceived Behaviour Possible Cultur
Page 11 and 12: The Nature of ESL Programming ESL s
Page 13: Identification Although it is frequ
Page 17 and 18: Instructional Tips and Strategies E
Page 19 and 20: this, rephrase it so that ESL stude
Page 21 and 22: ➤ establish a supportive environm
Page 23 and 24: • the parents’ or guardians’
Page 25 and 26: It may help to keep in mind that th
Page 27 and 28: Date: Teacher(s): First language or
Page 29 and 30: Characteristics of Students’ Read
Page 31 and 32: The Role of the ESL Specialist The
Page 33 and 34: * Collier, Virginia. “How long: A
Page 35: In addition, the ministry extends i

A Guide for Classroom Teachers - Education

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